Look at Saturday's forecast. A high of 61 degrees with a chance of snow. Only in the UP.

April 23, 2013 – Tuesday

32 degrees/rain/snow/drizzle – calm winds

Pentoga Road

I guess when spring shows up, it arrives with a vengeance. We’ve had some hard rain, steady and falling straight down, these past two days. The poor folks to our north and west have received feet and feet of snow. We’re right on the rain/snow border; thankfully on the rainy side this time around and bare ground is beginning to appear.

I was watching a robin work the ground under the large spruce tree at the side of the house. He pecked and hopped and soon was playing tug of war with a large night crawler. At least in that particular area, the frost must be out of the ground.

Pussy Willow

It appears the water table has surfaced on the path going to the back woods. It takes a lot of water for it to appear and I don’t believe it ever did last year. Pentoga Lake is once again present for any who wish to sail their boats or go water skiing. Two years ago, I had a pair of mallards living on the lake for almost a month until dry weather appeared and their habitat sank below ground level.

With the rapid melting, the snowmobile is looking more like a beached whale.

After my daily walk on Monday morning, I got busy with the upstairs bathroom. Another coat of drywall mud was needed in several areas and there was one corner that needed tearing out and completely redone.

An hour was spent sweeping, running the wet/dry vac, and finally, wiping down the walls. Everything is now ready for the magic of Sargie’s paintbrush.

The door. I dreaded installing the new door we’d purchased on Sunday, so much so, that I decided to get it over with.

Over an hour was spent removing the old accordion door… the cheesy, floppy, old-fashioned, pull-from-the-side, portable wall that gave one about as much privacy as if he were sitting in the middle of the street with his pants down.

And do you know what else? Our ninety-three year old house isn’t square! At first, I was tempted to give it back, but then thought that the previous owners are quite elderly and probably wouldn’t want it anyway. I quickly discovered the house has shifted considerably over the past century.

So I began ripping out, measuring, sawing, building, nailing, screwing, swearing, cussing, and having the occasional hissy fit, but after two hours, a new frame was constructed, slightly out of kilter to match the rest of the house, so that I might mount the pre-hung door.

The ceiling is so low that it was difficult to get the door in place. I finally was able to lift the top up, scoot the bottom in, and there it was. I leveled the door and tacked it in place. It was perfect. I was too tired to do anything more.

The new door installed. Sargie says the hallway is the next on our list of modernizing the house. Certainly the painted vase of flowers will disappear sooner rather than later. 

I took the time yesterday to transplant some very pale geraniums into three-inch pots. Even with the green house, it’s been a horrible spring to raise bedding plants. All are growing slowly and look rather sickly. The only thing ailing them: the lack of heat and light.

Sargie arrived last night bearing a huge pizza. What a sight for sore eyes; Sargie AND the pizza! The evening was spent watching Dancing With the Stars, chomping pizza, and enjoying each other’s company.

It appears there’s a possibility I might have found a puppy to keep me company during the days while Sargie is at work or when I’m in the woods. I’ve talked and texted with the owner several times. The family has had to move to a new apartment and isn’t allowed to keep Brutus the American Bull Dog.

Brutus has been brought up with little children and is a delicate little guy. At a year-and-a-half, he weighs a rather wimpy 120 lbs. Brutus sounds exactly what I’ve been looking for. His present owner assures me he’s well trained and socialized. He’s also described as a big Teddy bear. Oh, Brutus lives down in Rockford, Illinois.

My kind of people. Keep the baby in the kennel and let the dog relax

I need a buddy to keep me company during the days. It seems as I get older, these darn trees are beginning to look the same. I was fearful I’d have to spend a night in the woods last fall when I got turned around and twilight was approaching; something that would have thrown Sargie into a complete panic. It happened again this spring when I was collecting sap and started day dreaming, forgetting exactly where I was.  I need a constant companion that will hike or be in the woods with me and if I get turned around, with a simple command, will head me in the right direction.

This kind of reminds me of when I got Casey, the Jack Russell Terrier. He was a terrific dog, but due to the breed, was very similar to living with a three-year-old; like chasing a fart in a hot greased skillet. Still, he kept me wonderful company during some very long and lonely days at Hilltop Camp in the arctic. He also warned me of bears and bull moose, his primary purpose. I spent three months of intensive training with Casey after I rescued him from the ghettos of Atlanta. We worked long and hard and in the end, he became a wonderful, loved and well-behaved, companion. If Brutus works out, he’ll hopefully be the same.

So, we’ll see what happens in that department. Maybe he’ll become the newest addition to the family. If not, there’s a pooch out there somewhere.

I talked with one of Sargie’s coworkers yesterday on the phone and after sampling our maple syrup, said, “It’s the best!” and would like to purchase a gallon. And so it begins. The profit from one gallon will at least pay for this year’s canning jars. Next year, maybe there’ll be a profit to be made. Stay tuned.

Sargie’s home today and I think she’s planning on painting the bathroom. I’m going to go for a quick five-mile walk then return to start making up a final exam. I may begin removing the vanity and stool in the bathroom this afternoon in preparation for laying the new floor. What fun! <- said Tom, tongue in cheek.

But, then, I’m not surprised there’s so much to do. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

I found this piece of an old smoke alarm under the apple tree. We've come to the conclusion that someone threw it away and the huge ravens that have been in the back yard carried it in.